Chap. ccxxxiii. Of the opinions of the Indians, Persians, and Egyptians.

A noble spirited horse, which is called Pharas, refers to eminence and dignity, in the interpretation of dreams. Common horses are understood of nobility, and of some inferior rank.

If any one in his dreams has seemed to be carried on a fleet and wanton horse, he shall find in the presence of the people, fame, and the greatest estimation, as well as eminence and honour.

Also, if any one seemed to be riding armed on a noble horse, he will find power, together with good reputation, on account of his arms.

Chap. Cexlix. According to the Interpretations of the Persians and Egyptians.

If any one seemed to have held bows and arrows in his hand, he shall exult with joy over his enemies.

There are more passages relating to the same subject, as chap, cliff. from the doctrine of the Indians, concerning the large and long tail of a horse, signifying companions and followers of his power; of the short cut tail, signifying the loss of liberty, as well as sovereignty, if it were a prince who dreamt of riding on such a horse. In the same manner, chap. ccxxxiii. the dismounting from a horse, if voluntary, is explained of a spontaneous decrease of power; if unwillingly, of a successor in dignity, assuming his place.

The following things throw light on the Third Seal.

Chap. xv. Of the Doctrine of the Indians.

If any one in his dreams has seen a balance, or a bell, as they call it, a species of balance, justly weighing in a certain place, let him understand it, of the person of a judge. But if he has a guarrel, and the things appeared to be equally balanced, he shall obtain his cause.

If he should seem to observe an equal and a pure balance, let him know, that the judge of that place is just. But if he should see the scales broken, and turned upside down, he may conclude, that the judge of the place where he saw the dream, is unjust.

Besides, weights also have the same interpretation as measures, according to their quantities, but they are applied to the persons of inferior judges.

These relate to the Sixth Seal.

Chap. clxvii. From the Writings of the Indians, Persians, and Egyptians.

The sun relates, in interpretation, to the person of the king, and the moon to the person of the prince, who is second to the king: Venus to the person of the empress, or Augusta, and also the other largest stars to the greatest persons about the king. While I am collecting these things, I am almost induced to think, that the famous title of Sapor, king of the Persians, in his letters delivered to the emperor Constantius, (Sailor, king of kings, partner of the stars, brother of the sun and moon, to Constantius Cesar, my brother, greeting) which Ammianus Marcellinus attributes to Persian pride, was no other than the vernacular style of the nation, arising from images of this kind; which ought to appear less wonderful to any one, since we see even our own heralds, in publishing the arms of emperors and kings, apply to them the names of the sun and moon, and of the other planets. Hither, likewise, may be referred Jacob's interpretation of the dream of Joseph, his son, of the sun and moon, and eleven stars, making obeisance to him, which he immediately, as by no means ignorant of the parables of the east, apphes to his own family, interpreting the sun and moon of himself and his wife, as king and queen; the stars, of his sons, as the nobles of the family, Gen. c. xxxvii. v. 10. But let us return to our Achmet, for he proceeds in the same chapter.

If any one has thought that he saw the sun in the heaven deprived of light and rays, calamity and disgrace appertain to the person of the king.

If the sun has appeared to be in eclipse, that portends affliction and war to the king.

If any one has thought he saw the sun covered with a cloud, the king will fall into distress and diseases, by way of occultation.

If any one has seen the sun, and moon, and stars, collected together without light; if he is of the number of grandees, he absolutely approaches to ruin, on account of that darkness; . if he is king surrounded by all, he shall be sought out in battle, and shall fall into great affliction.

Chap. clxviii. Of the Observations of the Persians and Egyptians.

If any one has imagined he saw the stars possessed of very little light, cast down, scattered and obscured, this vision is to be referred to the calamity of the nobles, opulent men, and to the presidents of the king.

The sixth seal being finished, we should proceed forthwith in order to the seventh, (big as it is with its sevenfold plague) as what coheres with the sixth in an immediate connexion. ]But the Holy Spirit, by a sure suggestion, has led to the delay of our progress for a little whhe, until it was placed before our eyes the state of an assembly contemporizing with it, which was to be safe under its plagues, and was also to survive them.

Let us then hold the torch of interpretation, in the first place, to that vision, as far as we are able, and then we will continue the order of the seals which we leave begun.

THE VISION

Of the Company of the Servants of God, or of the elect and faithfid Church to be preserved under the ruins of the Seventh Seal, or of the Trumpets, exhibited under the type of the one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of all the tribes of Israel, at the beginning of the Seventh Seal.

The vision of those who are sealed is introduced twice: First, in this place, in the beginning of the trumpets, in the first prophecy; again, as the contrast to the beast, when possessed of power, in the second prophecy, c. xiv. ; and that with a double view; here, for the purpose of preserving them under the ruins resulting from the trumpets ; there, for the purpose of extolling them on account of their faith maintained to God and the Lamb, when the other inhabitants of the world, deserters and revolters, had received the mark of the beast. From which it clearly appears, that the prophecy of the beast contemporizes with the events of the trumpets; but to what extent, is to be decided by some other means, namely, not beyond the end of the sixth trumpet, in which the months of the beast conclude with the days of the mourning witnesses. c. xi. v. 14. It is our present design to hold the torch of interpretation to the first vision of the scaled ones, which regards their preservation. Hereafter, when we arrive so far, we shall treat of their commendation.

"After these things," says he, (that is, when the vision of the sixth seal is ended, and the seventh, which is that of the trumpets, is about to begin) " I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, restraining the four winds of the earth, that they might not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree."

The sense is, He saw angels who presided over the winds, that is, over the storms of war and calamities, which, from whatever part of the world they were about to issue forth, were to be restrained as long as it pleased God; but at his nod, whenever he gave the signal, were to be let loose on the whole world. Not indeed the same with the angels of the trumpets, but those who were at their sounding, to let loose those winds, now from one and now from another part of the world, to ravage and destroy the Roman state. For the parable of the winds in the prophets imphes warlike movements, and hosthe attacks and invasions; as Jer. c. xlix. v. 36. I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I will scatter them towards all those winds; and there shall not be a nation to which the outcasts of Elam shall not cone." Also, c. li. v. 1., 2. " Behold I, saith the Lord, will raise up upon Babel, &c. a destroying wind; and I will send out upon Babel winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and shall make empty her land." And likewise, c. xviii. v. 17. , As an eastern wind will I scatter them, (that is, the Jews) before the enemy," namely, the king of Babylon. Hither likewise, it seems, may that passage of Daniel be referred, c. vii. 2, 3. "Behold the four winds of heaven strove on the great sea, and four great beasts ascended out of the sea;" that is, from the conflict of nations on every side, rushing among each other with war and the sword, and contending for dominion and empire, four great kingdoms arose.

" And I saw," says he, "another angel ascending from the rising sun, having the seal of the living God, (perhaps therefore Christ the Lord) and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, (namely, by letting loose the winds which they had restrained, saying, ` Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till I have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads; "that is, do not let loose the winds, nor give them the power of going forth, and raging over the world. He names the earth, sea, and trees, agreeably to the image of winds, as those objects to which the winds are wont to do damage; to the earth, by the ruin of buildings; to the sea, by shipwrecks; to trees, by manifold injury and laceration.

"Hold!" says he, " till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads;" that is, until we have distinguished them by a mark impressed, as the elect , assembly of God, on which those destroying winds, which were to consign to ruin the remaining society of men, should have no power; but over which, marked with his seal, Divine Providence would continually watch, lest in this ruin of the Roman state, which the trumpets would effect, this holy progeny should be extinguished. For the event was to be ordered, that they should not go without punishment who injured them, as having transgressed the limits of the right granted them by God; and farther, that the injury, if any should befall them, should be immediately recompensed by God. There is an allusion to the passage in Ezekiel, c. ix. where those who are sighing and exclaiming for the abominatious of Jerusalem, are sealed by an angel for this purpose, that they might not sustain equal destruction with the impious and reprobate, from those who were to smite them. And, in truth, the event which relates to this declaration, (if any one will consider the state of the times of which we are speaking) will appear like a miracle; that it would have been possible, when the Roman empire was desolated and destroyed, by so great a havoc of cities and their inhabitants, so that its ancient population being nearly extinct, it was inhabited by a barbarous people, and by nations who were ahens to Christ; yet that the Church, in the very same place, in the .midst of these evils, and whhe, as it were, the world was falling into ruin over its head, should still endure; nay, even that the beast in the same time, (as we shall hear in its place) when idolatrous worship was defiling the whole of Christianity, should nevertheless nourish in its bosom an undefhed assembly such as this, and that in the name of a reverence for God. Of such importance was it to have been protected by the seal of God.

"And I heard," says he, "the number of those which were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed of all the tribes of Israel;" that is, twelve times twelve thousand, being twelve thousand of each of the tribes.

For as in the beginning we saw the theatre of the visions, or the Apocalyptical Assembly, described according to the image and state of the ancient synagogue, and great part of this book of types has a reference to the same; so that, as false Christians in the epistles to the churches may on that account be spoken of as false Jews, so likewise here, the universal church of the Gentiles, secured by the seal of God, is ftgured under the type of Israel, the twelve apostles of the former aptly corresponding with the same number of the patriarchs in the latter.

Nor is it thus done undeservedly; as for other causes, so chiefly because the church, which, from the time of the rejection of the Jews, was collected out of the nations, succeeded in the place of Israel, and became (if I may so speak) the substitute of Israel, and was to be accounted in that state by God, until his ancient people, having at length obtained mercy, "the fulness of the Gentiles should have come in; "that is, the "innumerable multitude out of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues," which at last, when the signature of this Israel was finished, John testifies that he saw singing praises to God and to the Lamb. This indeed is that doctrine (I speak of substitution), which the Apostle Paul means to teach in Romans, c. xi. when he inculcates that the fall of the Jews should bring salvation to the Gentiles, and their rejection should be the reconciliation of the world. Not that by other means the Gentiles were not called in their own time, since the whole chorus of the prophets exclaims that the Gentiles should be gathered together to the glory of Israel, and should be converted to the Lord, (which the Jews themselves, either in ancient times or at the present day, did or do distrust) but that, not by this calling, which was made by anticipation or surrogation, and as an incitement to emulation, if the Jews had not re- nounced Christ. An intelligent person will understand what I mean. "It was necessary," says the apostle, Acts c. xiii. " that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you; but since ye put it from you, and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, to we turn to the Gentiles."

That testimony of Amos, quoted by James in the Council of the Apostles, Acts, c. xv. (not to notice this likewise), seems to have been intended of the anticipated of the anticipated conversion of the Gentiles, i. e. of that which would precede the restoration of the Jews; and on that account, was then, per- haps, preferred to the other prophecies, which might have been otherwise understood of the adoption of the Gentiles into the people of God. For he intimates, not only that the name of the Lord should be called on the nations, (i. e. that the Gentiles should become his people) but also, that this should take place partly at a time when the tabernacle of David should yet he in ruins; that is, that the kingdom of Israel should not yet be restored by Christ. " After this," says he, "I will return, and will build again of the tabernacle of of David, which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up, that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name is called;" that is, that the rest of mankind, togeather with those nations upon whom, even before that period, my name would be called, should at length seek after and worship the true God. For instead of what is now read in the Hebrew text, "inherit the remainder of Idumea," it seems to have been formerly written, that "the residue of men should seek after. the Lord." Nay, from the Hebrew reading which now obtains, the same inference may he collected of the anticipated adoption of the Gentiles among the people of God, namely, in this sense, that the Jews being brought back, when the tabernacle of David, which had fallen down, should at last be restored, the remains of Edom as well as the Gentiles, upon whom the name of God was long previously called, should be admitted by hereditary right. Therefore, some of the Gentiles would become the people of God before the restoration of the tabernacle of David. But of this enough.

With respect to the number of the sealed, the number twelve is a mark of the apostolical family, which denotes the apostolical progeny, by multiplying thousands of each tribe as well as all together; a progeny, we may suppose, though increased to many thousands, yet by no means degenerate, but representing their parents in faith and sanctity. For, doubtless, as "to have the number of the beast" (of which we shall hereafter hear), signifies being of the people or followers of the beast, so, to bear the number of the apostles, signifies being the legitimate offspring of the apostles. The analogy of the New Jerusalem shows this to be the truest interpretation of the multiplication by twelve, in the structure of which, and in the dimensions of its gates, of the area of its foundation, of the circuit, length, breadth, and height of its walls, the same whom, even before that period, my name would number twelve, or the multiplication by twelve is adopted. And that we might have no farther hesitation to what that twelve-fold multiplication refers, to it is expressly said, of the twelve foundations of the wall, that they were inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. c. xxi. v. 14. "Of the tribe of Judah, of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Aser, Naphtali, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zabulon, Joseph, and Benjamin, of each of these tribes were sealed twelve thousand." The tribes are in no other part of Scripture enumerated in this order, although in other places they arc reckoned in various modes. For besides that Dan does not appear with them at all, nor is the name of Ephraim spoken of in the rest, there is a departure here from the rule of all the enumerations which are made elsewhere, and neither the order of nativity, nor dignity of family is preserved; but the last are blended with the intermediate, and the younger sons of servants are preferred more than once to the elder children of wives, so that it can by no means be doubted but that some remarkable mystery of a typical kind hes concealed under such a novel and unusual order. This, with God's favour on our undertaking, we think that we have discovered, and it is in this manner :

First, Dan is rejected from this type, and Ephraim is passed over, in shence, as the standard bearers and leaders of the Israelitish apostasy (Jud. c. xvii. and xviii), and the same as were the patrons of the public idols in Dan and Bethel, in the time of the kingdom. They were therefore, altogether unfit to represent the followers of a purer religion.

But that, nevertheless, the number of twelve might be complete, Levi is substituted in the room of Dan, and the name of Joseph with the omission of that of Ephraim. The number being tuns constituted, the sons of wives and servants, independent of the accustomed dignity of the family, are intermingled, and the children of servants are adopted as those of their mistresses.

"For in Christ there is neither bond nor free," but all are of equal estimation. Since, then, the sons of Leah, both natural and adoptive, are double the number of Rachel, for there are eight of the former, and only four of the latter, therefore such an order is observed in reckoning them, that the four sons of Leah might be compared in a double mode, alternately with the two of Rachel: But on both sides, those tribes are preferred as more excellent than the rest, which some transaction, either of their own, or of their offspring, related in the Holy Scriptures, respecting the true worship of God, and zeal towards Him, had rendered worthy of commendation.

The family of Leah are at the head of the first troop in virtue of the prerogative of Christ, the Prince of the company, as sprung from that stock. In the following manner 1. Judah First Quaternio" of 2. Reuben the Sons of Leah. 3. Gad 4. Aser First Couple of the 5. Naphtali Sons of Rachel. { g. Matlassel 7. Simeon Second Quaternion of 8. Levi the Sons of Leak. 9. Issaehar 10. Zabulon Second Couple of the 11. Joseph 1 Sons of Rachel. 12. Benjamin

The Reason of the Order of the Sons of Leah.

Judah, Reuben, Gad, Aser, constitute, as you see, the first quaternion of the sons of Leah, as superior to the rest in respect to Him of whom the type points out the nobility.

Among those, the first place, as justly due, is bestowed on Judah, on account of Christ, the King of the faithful, descended from that tribe. The second on Reuben, whom that illustrious protestation concerning building the altar of remembrance on the banks of Jordan, ennobled, and which he deserved, that he might not yield the prerogative of his nativity (for he was the first-born) to any other than to the royal tribe of Judah. The third place is allotted to Gad, as the associate of Reuben in that celebrated protestation of retaining the true worship of God, and illustrious besides for Elias the prophet, and Jehu the king, the destroyer of Baalism.

Aser, in fine, assumes the fourth and last place in this quaternion, illustrious for the widow of Sarepta, who reverenced Elijah, (Sarepta lying in the lot of Aser) and noted also for Anna the prophetess, of the tribe of Aser, who bore testi- mony to Christ, when she was remaining in the temple according to the law, but by no means to be compared with the three preceding, because each was a female.

Simeon, Levi,, Issachar, and Zabulon are deferred to the last quarternion, either because they were embellished with no names, or with fewer than the former; or if they had any, by such as were obliterated afterwards by some kind of wickedness. For Levi blotted out the remembrance of the zeal by which he approved himself in the wilderness, (to pass over the sedition of Korah) by his fellowship with Israelitish apostates and idolaters, even from the beginning. For Jonathan the Levite, the grandson of Moses, gave up his services in introducing the worship of images to Micah the Ephraimite and the Danish robbers. Judg. c. xvii. v. 10, and c. xviii. v. 30. It is possible also, that the substitution of Levi in the place of Dan might have degraded him into the fourth quaternion. Moreover, since the brethren of this quaternion have no quality in which some excel others, they preserve the order of their nativity unaltered, and every one is enumerated in that order in which he was born.

The Reason of the Order of the Sons of Rachel.

Observe that among the posterity of Rachel, two of them paired together, Naphtali and Manasseh, head the family: Joseph and Benjamin bring up the rear. Naphtali and Manasseh are preferred, because he was illustrious, as well in Barak-, the conqueror of Sisera the Canaanite, as in Hiram, a Naphtalite on his father's sick, the artificer of the instruments and furniture of the temple of God; (1 Kings, c. vii. v.14. 2 Chron. c. ii. v. 14) and in a name yet greater, of whom hereafter ; the latter was noted for Gideon, the subverter of Baal, and Llisha the prophet.

But the glory of Christ's inhabitation exalts Naphtali, though the son of a maid servant, above Manasseh, as when Christ was about to enter on his office, he fixed his residence and seat of his preaching in the noblest city of the tripe of Naphtali, and the metropolis of all Galhee, Capernaum, whence, as from an episcopal city, he went forth many times over all Galhee with his apostles, into all the synagogues and villages, teaching the gospel of the kingdom, and shining forth with miracles of healing. For, Reader, I wish to remark, from the evangelical history, (because it escapes many) that our Saviour dwelt in Galhee during the whole time that he abode on earth; but that he was seen in Judea, the principal seat both of the nation and of his own tribe, only at the time of the festivals. And this is what Isaiah of old had predicted, Isa. c. ix. Matt. c. iv. v. 14. ; that " the wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, (Sept. the rather of the age to come) the Prince of Peace," in one word, the Messiah, should be a Galhean ; and, as if in compensation and consolation of the captivity, which Galhee, first of all the regions in the Holy Land, had then re- cently undergone from the Assyrian, (2 Kings, c. xv. v. 29) that the tract in question should be peculiarly enlightened by his presence ; apparently, indeed, that public way, called " the Way of the Sea," which, coming out of Syria to Jordan, passes through the middle of Caper naum, and from thence, proceeding near the Sea of Galhee, leads into Egypt. Let us hear what he says, (vide Hebrew) "As in former times he rendered vhe the land of Zabulon and the land of Naphtali, (viz. as I have observed by Tiglathpheser) so at the last he will render it glorious." For " the way of the sea (trodden by the Assyrian) to the passage of Jordan, (where Capernaum was situated) Galhee of the Gentiles, the people which walked in darkness, (namely, of afflictions) have seen a great light; to those who dwelt in the region of the shadow of deatll, on them has the light shined," &c. Would you know whence and under whose influence Galhee will be so blessed, and within that maritime way where the passage of the Jordan was ? he immediately subjoins, " For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Father of Eternity, the Prince of Peace."

But those words (with which our transcribers, almost treading in the footsteps of the Jews, who never understood this prophecy, begin the chapter with a great disturbance of the sense) I annex with Jerome and the Royal Bibles to the last sentence of the preceding chapter; and I render them, For there is no obscurity in Him. who is the cause of their trouble," that is, in the calamitous and afflicted state of things into which the Israelitish republic at that time is reported to have fallen, according to the threatening of the law, and which is as it were submitted to our sight; men were driven to indignation. and despair because they saw the enemy by which they were oppressed enjoy perpetual success, and that no misfortune befel him. It is of great importance to the Christian faith, that this oracle concerning the Galhean Messiah should be clearly understood, and the fidelity of Matthew, who alleges it, should be asserted; on which account I was desirous of throwing some light upon it on this occasion, hoping that the Reader would not consider it as unacceptable. I return to the Apocalypse, and I will add one thing more before I dismiss Naphtali ; that, as among the sons of Leah, the first place was allotted to Judah, on account of the generation of Christ, so among those of Rachel Naphtali was noticed on account of his dwelling, that the prerogative of Christ might be supereminent on both sides, in whose name, as that of Lord and Emperor, the assembly (as we shall hear in its proper place) is enrolled.

Joseph and Benjamin remain, transferred to be the last pair of Rachel's children, and of whom the sirname of Ephraim degraded to this place, since it is Ephraim, in truth, who is concealed under the name of Joseph, having been unworthy, on leis own account, (because he was the leader of the Israelitish idolatry introduced by Micah, and also because of that enormous apostasy of which Jeroboam and Ahab were the founders) to have his name repeated in the catalogue. Benjamin likewise, beside being the youngest born, the hatred of Saul the Benjamite, against David, and the curses of Shimei against him who was the head of the family and the type of Christ, deprived of a higher station.

A MEMORABLE SENTENCE,

Formed from the signification of the names by which the tribes were called, by which both the order of the tribes sealed, the disposition of the assembly itself, its contest and reward by God are declared.

The blessed assembly, the assembly of those who are sealed, confess or celebrate God, by looking to his Son that is to Christ the only Mediator: They contend with those who are forgetful of their obedience, that is, with the antichristians.

Adhesion to Christ will add to the Son of His right hand, (that is, to him whom God highly values) the reward of a habitation or eternal mansion. Or otherwise, the Son of his right hand ( that is Christ) will add to those who adhere to God, the reward of a habitation, or mansion of eternal life.

To this more contracted and afflicted state of the Church, under the type of those who are sealed out of the people of Israel, succeeds that most ample, and by far most prosperous state of the same, under the image of an innumerable multitude of palm-bearers, out of every nation, and people, and tribe, and language. "After these I beheld, and lo! a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation, and all tribes, and people, and tongues, standing before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and with palms in their hands; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth on the throne, to the Lamb."

But since this vision pertains to the seventh trumpet, and cannot be conveniently and clearly explained elsewhere, on account of so many things which require to be previously known, we will therefore postpone the exposition of it. At present it may be sufficient that the reader should remember what hass been just now generally said, that both the visions in conjunction pervade the whole interval of the seventh seal, or of the trumpets; but separately, that the assembly of the sealed synchronizes with the first six trumpets, and the multitude of the palm-bearers with the seventh.

And thus having completed the interpretation of the interposed vision, or visions, let us resume the discontinued series of the seals.

The Meaning of the Seventh Seal, that is, of the Seven Trumpets.

They were the six first seals, in which the state of the empire, yet standing and flourishing, was described, until the power of idolatry fell by intestine misfortunes. The seventh succeeds, the subject matter of which is seven trumpets, under which the fates of the declining and falling empire, proceeding to ruin by a sevenfold order of plagues, whhe the trumpets are sounding the alarm, are displayed under images suited to such an event. God, in truth, executing punishment by that destruction for the blood of so many martyrs, shed under Roman auspices. For He, whose will it is that even brute animals should not be spared, if they have slain man, made in His image, would He not require the blood of His servants of the empire which had been amartyricide for so many revolving years ?

Neither could. the late piety of the Christian emperors, Then possessed of the power of the state, avail to intercede with the justice of God, any snore than the piety of Josiah, for the kingdom of Judah, guilty of the blood spilt by Manasseh, that it might escape the ruin decreed by God. This revenge, the souls of the martyrs,groaning under that dreadful butchery of the fifth seal, invoked earnestly with their prayers: This God promised, as soon as the Roman tyrant, bythe addition of those who still remained to be slaughtered, had filled up the measure of iniquity,c. vi. v. II. This time had now arrived.

Wherefore an angel, the priest of heaven, at the altar of incense, offers up those prayers (as was the custom with the prayers of the people made in the temple), by fumigation to the throne of God; and recalls them to His memory.

In the mean time, "there was shence in heaven for the space of half an hour," according to the rites of the temple in performing a sacrifice of this nature. For it is evident, that in sacrifices, in every part of the world, silence was a part of religion. They said, " Attend in silence." That was observed by the people of God, when they offered incense. For, while the sacrifices were offering (which was the first part of their liturgy), the temple resounded with hymns, trumpets, and other musical instruments, 2 Chron. c. xxix. v. 25-28. But at the time of incense everything was shent, and the people prayed in silence to themselves, Luke, c. i. v. 10. To this, then, there is an allusion, when it is said, that while the angel was about to offer sacrifices at the golden altar, "there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour;" that is, during the whole time of incense. Which being at length finished, "an angel filled a censer with fire from the altar, and cast it on the earth." And he acted thus to signify by this rite, to what subject those prayers referred, which rising to God, lead been imbued with grateful odour; namely, to implore vengeance on the inhabitance of the earth, who had injured the saints, and had even shed their blood.

But the prayers immediately obtained an answer; for " there were," says he, (that is, from the Throne, or inmost recess of the temple) " voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." In which words is described the oracle, that is, the daughter of the voice, or of thunder, by which God formerly 'gave responses to his ancient people, and by the same assented here to the prayers of the saints. Now in the Hebrew language it is to be understood, that voices and thunderings have the same signification. For thunderings are called rn5v, that is, voices. K"i, then, is either to be taken explanatorily, for that is ; or as I should prefer by the figure fv 8La Svoiv, voices and thunderings are voices of thunder, or attended with thunder. God, indeed, for the most part, uttered His decrees with thunder, as he also delivered the law, . Ex. c.. xix. v. 16. Nay, it was the only oracle which remained to the Jews after the Babylonian captivity; of which there is an example in our evangelist, c. xii. 28. When the Lord had said, "Father, glorify thy name, there came," says he, "a voice from heaven, 'I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."' IC follows. "And the people which stood by and heard it, said it thundered. Others said, An angel spake to him;" that is, some said it was Divide thunder, or thunder joined with the Divine voice, namely, the daughter of thunder; but others, that an angel spoke. And hence it is that, in the Apocalypse, not only in this place, but elsewhere generally, thunder is connected with Oracles and Divine voices, as c. iv. v.5, c. vi. V. 1, c. x. v. 3. Vide the sacred Aristarchus of the most illustrious Daniel Heinsius, p. 277 and 455.

The sacrifice being thus ended, and God having assented to the prayers of his saints with the voice of thunder, "the seven angels who had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound." That the works of Divine providence and government are carried on by the administration of angels, is confessed by all theologians. The angels, therefore, preserve their place in those visions, in the transactions to which they are preappointed by God, and what is performed by the common agency of angels and men, is said to be performed by the authority of angels, as principals and leaders. So that they appear to me to wander wholly from the mark, who, under the name of angels, imagine that some mystery he's concealed. The angel trumpeters then, who are here mentioned, are those who were appointed to direct the plagues of the trumpets, while men were employed in the performance, by whom it pleased God to execute his decrees. The four first of these trumpets are the cause of the less extensive and minor plagues, inasmuch as they were those during which, while they hung over the greatest part of the Western, or Latin world, the Roman bishop was to be healed, and from that time to become at least the head of that world. For rightly applying the images of which, here likewise let the reader observe, that the Roman community is secretly assimilated by the Holy Spirit with the other empires of the world, to a mundane system, whose parts are the earth, sea, rivers, heaven, and stars; In such a way that the system of every empire may have its earth like wise, which is like the ground itself, a low substance, and the basis on which the mass of the whole political structure rests. Also a sea, which by flowing round its earth, may wear altogether the similitude of a sea; (and this is the amplitude or extent of dominion) Political rivers likewise, which, in the manner of other rivers, derive their origin from the sea, and return to itagain; of which kind are provincial magistrates; and other administrators of government, together with the provinces themselves, the channels of those rivers. The sun lastly, and other stars in the heaven, of supreme power, referring to the sun, moon, and stars, in the mundane system.

This analogy being observed, the interpretation, as it is completely fortified by similar figures of the ancient prophets, so it will be easy to be understood, and very apposite in every part to the event recorded.

But what is so often repeated of the third part, as the third part of the trees of the earth, the third part of the sea, of the rivers, of the heaven, I understand of the bounds of the Roman empire, embracing in its circuit the third part of the world, as it was known .in the time of John.

Which appears capable of being proved from this circumstance, that afterwards, in chap. xii. " the seven-headed ten-horned dragon," (that is, the heathen Roman empire, is said to have drawn " a third part of the stars of heaven with his tail, and cast them to the earth ; "that is, to have subjected a third part of the princes and dynasties of the world to his dominion. These things being premised, let us come to the interpretation of particulars.

C. viii. v., 7. " And the first angel sounded, and there came hail and fire mingled with blood; and it was cast upon the earth, and a third part of the trees was burnt up, and every green herb was burnt up." " And the second angel sounded, and as it were, a great mountain burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and a third part of the sea became blood. And a third part of the creatures in the sea, which had life, died, and a third part of the ships was destroyed." "And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star burning like a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star was Wormwood, and a third part of the waters became as wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were embittered."

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was stricken, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not as to a third part of it, and the night likewise."